I haven’t been posting much lately because I have been working hard to improve the experience of visiting this website. You may ask what does that mean? - well it is simple. I love going to websites that are uncluttered, provide useful information and are to the point. It’s also small things like having a really fast page load time. So here’s a flavour of some of what I have been working on lately… ...
It’s been 10 years since the anniversary of 9/11 and much of the world has changed a lot in that period. We’ve had full body scanners at airports, marshalls on flights, bombs hidden in toner cartridges and two wars. I reflected on this and remembered two really good articles I’ll share here on the topic. Hopefully we’ve changed for the better. Yesterday I finally wrote something that’s been bothering me for about ten years: The fact that Al Qaeda can’t be as big and bad as it’s made out to be, because its whole design violates every rule of guerrilla organisation. It’s like a counter intelligence officer’s dream, the Al Qaeda plan to bring guerrillas from all over the world, introduce them to each other, and exchange funds, material and ideas. ...
I recently bought the wifi version of the Motorola Xoom. I did not get the 3G version to keep costs down (no second carrier subscription in addition to smartphone I own). Here’s my review, let it be noted I’ve been an iOS user since version 2 (iPhone 3G) and although I have used devices from Android 1.6 and up - I’ve never ’lived’ with them. Motorola Xoom Aesthetics & Design First of all the design is very well executed. It looks and feels like a premium tablet should (should that be iPad competitor?). The ports are a clear winner and still are over any other tablet. I haven’t got the video dock yet, but I ampositiveit’ll be a great addition to my big HDTV. The only gripe really is that it doesn’t charge through usb, which I believe is because it has two batteries. It charges through supplied plug insanely fast! It lasts all day and then some with heavy use also. I haven’t left the thing alone long enough to test the standby time, but I am sure it’s good also. The 10.1" screen feels like the ‘right’ size for a tablet and I’ll besurprisedif more tablets don’t end up adopting a screen size closer to the Xoom’s. The heft is a bit much, I would like it to be a small bit lighter - but nearly all tablets with proper glass screens will be heavy. ...
I got a Plantronics .655 USB Headset mainly for the ability to do VOIP well. Those of you who come here often know I reviewed Sennheiser HD595 before, which is a headset built for the quality of reproduction (I use that one for music). There’s not much you can say about a VOIP headset, so I am going to keep this short! The Plantronics .655 USB isn’t the most comfortable headset and the usb connection seemed like a plus as I’d never owned a USB headset. The mic quality is a lot better with the USB connection (though I am guessing 90% is down to the fact it’s directional and pointed at your mouth), but the sound won’t be. ...
I try to listen to as many podcasts (netcasts?) as I can. They fall in to two categories: Irish radio and technology. Luckily, there is so much competition in this space it’s hard to pick the best - so quality is high! Tech News Today (TNT) by the TWiT Network Regular and fills you right up to the minute with the latest tech news. Can replace RSS of many blogs (HUGE time saver) since lively debate of tech topics is the order of the day. ...
From one of the best TED talks I’ve seen: I love the story about the jeans. I feel like that every time I buy shoes. Scary.
I’ve always wondered what would happen when we are gone - an inevitability judging by every known animal becoming extinct at some stage. Creepy but very interesting…
I had been applying for jobs since I started my last year in college and I am delighted to say even before I completed my final year, I have gained full time employment. I would say it is luck, but my family thinks it’s down to a lot of hard work and good grades! Either way, it’s a great feeling in probably the most competitive jobs market (for potential employees) in years. ...
As you read this, I have already embarked on an inter-railing trip around Europe. Some of the cities in the itinerary: Amsterdam Cologne Nürburgring (Rock Am Ring festival) Prague Bratislava I’ll definitely post up some pictures when I get back. I planned this trip with a few classmates to coincide with the completion of our four year honours degree in Computer Science.
It has been a whirlwind four years, but this day marks the cessation of my full-time education for my honours degree. It is an overwhelming feeling of relief, joy, sadness and all of the emotions you feel when leaving an institution that has been a huge part of my life, if only for four short years. The best part of my course has been without doubt, the friends for life I have made. I include everyone in my class in this, but some friends have been truly the best anyone could wish for. I dedicate this post to wishing all my classmates the very best in whatever they chose to do and hopefully we’ll all keep in touch! ...